A FUSION of sounds spanning the musical spectrum will hit the streets this weekend, spicing up life for anyone daring to join the call to pump up the tempo.

The infamous Streetbands Festival is returning to Lancaster and Morecambe with a mix of music from around the globe, from dance to jazz, carnival to funky hard-bop.

More than a dozen bands are performing alfresco at various venues in the two towns over this weekend (July 28 to 29), with the festival kicking off on Saturday at 12noon at Lancaster's Market Square and Sun Street.

So if you're in the mood for summertime tunes, clear the streets for Eh La Bas!, an upbeat seven-piece New Orleans band, which promises to fill the air with traditional Cajun and contemporary Zydeco, with Creole Jazz and Caribbean calypso thrown in.

Roots country bluegrass band, Foghorn Leghorn, is joining the line-up with authentic coun-try sounds, featuring banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar and double bass in music from the Appalachian Mountains.

The nine-piece Maroon Town band, which has performed its fusion of breakbeat, ska, rap and dub worldwide, will round off Market Square's festivities, while Hawaiian-style Hula Bluebirds will strike a chord as Sun Street's resounding finale with swinging hula blues and jazz.

Late night revellers can dance till they drop at the Streetband Festival Partynight from 8.30pm to late on Saturday, as DJs share centre-stage with three bands.

Sunday's scene will be staged at four venues in Morecambe - The Platform, Promenade Gardens, Arena and the Eric Morecambe Statue - with the award-winning Milnthorpe Steel Band offering its own unusual, funky Caribbean-style steel pan music to set the day's music in motion.

Striding Edge, which brings Lakeland music into the 21st century, will be performing haunting melodies of the Norse settlers to modal jazz.

And Off the Rails, one of the jazziest bandwagons around, will take partygoers on a musical trip around the world with a mix of Latin, jazz, reggae, funk and folk.

Morecambe band, Baybeat, returns to the streets with its mix of reggae, trip hop and salsa to stir the senses.

And the Barracudas' infectious carnival tunes and colourful troupe of dancers, brass players, guitarists and percussionists promise to be a treat for both the eyes and ears.

For further details about the festivities, or to book party night tickets (£7/£5) contact 01524-582803.